Wicked Games
by Gothic984
Summary: Lucas' wrath at Gail's betrayal is aimed at unsuspecting people, which causes Gail to rethink her options.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories Emotion, Old Friends, Family, Difficult Decisions, Reflection, Spirit, Acceptance, Whole Again, Homecoming, Oh Father, Birthday Surprises, Misguided Feelings, New Year, Picture Perfect, Kinship, Big River, Sunday Morning Coming Down, To Beat The Devil, Best Of All Possible Worlds and Little Girl Lost.

It was a calm late Septembers night in Trinity SC, the dark sky above was clear and the stars shone bright for all to see. The chirping sound of the night crickets could be heard all around the deserted town, giving it an eerie feel and the majority of the townspeople were tucked away in doors with their families.

Lucas Buck sat on the edge of Johnson's Bridge picking petals from a flower and throwing them into the water, he enjoyed the peacefulness at this time of night as it allowed him time to be alone with his thoughts. Usually Lucas would be at home by now, winding down after a long day at work; however, the spirits within his property had become unusually restless since Gail's betrayal and he was beginning to lose his patience.

When Gail had sped off in her blood red Mustang three months earlier he had thought it was all part of the game they were playing, he would never have believed she would actually leave. The anger he had felt when the realization of her actions had sunk in reminding him of how he felt when he had lost his mother and his rage lashed out on a number of Juniper House staff that had irritated him previously. He had not cared about the consequences as nobody in his town would stand against him, especially when he was in a mood like this.

This dark mood of his had continued throughout the months that had passed, to the point where Ben had retreated back to us old scared self and the rest of his staff would not speak until they were spoken to. He found it was the little things that bothered him the most, Gail not being present for his sons birthday, her obtaining the deed for Judith's old place of work and giving it to Merlyn, her giving her parental responsibilities to Harvard etc. All these things fed into his rage and he was starting to resent her.

He had expected his boy to turn against her, considering she had abandoned him and this would have helped his mood; however, Caleb had accepted her actions as she had fed him some cock and bull story about needing to sort out some things in Charleston. The boy was under the impression that Gail was coming back to him and they would be a family again, so Caleb was being on his best behavior until that day came.

Lucas knew better and had no doubt Gail was aware of the seriousness of this betrayal. She would not dare come back even if she wanted to as his punishment would be colossal and she had come to understand his nature enough to know that there would be no avoiding his punishment. She had been smart enough not to stop at Charleston for long, knowing this would be the first place he would check, she had even left her Mustang there with her friend Christie and disappeared. He had sources along the way and none of them could give him her location, which indicated she had well and truly fled. No, she was not stupid enough to come back to this town and it was time to fully accept that.

The sound of laughter interrupted his train of thought and he glanced to the right to see two drunken men staggering across the bridge. An evil grin came across his lips and he closed his eyes for a moment, when he opened them again he spotted a murder of crows high in the night sky.

The crows circled the sky above the pair of drunken men, then flew down in a swift movement and began pecking at their exposed skin. Each man screamed in agony as skin from their arms and faces were ripped off, then they stumbled over the bridge rail whilst trying to flee from the attacks and two loud splashes confirmed their entry into the river. The crows cawed for a few moments while the men tried to swim to the surface of the water, then their movements ceased and they were taken away with the current.

Lucas watched in fascination as the crows flew away and the sound of the night crickets came back to his ears. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, then picked up another flower and began pulling off the petals like he had with many flowers before.

* * *

Merlyn sat on the front porch of Gail's house with Rocky at her feet, staring into the street. It had been a strange few months for her with her cousin gone; however, she was in constant contact with her and kept her filled in on what was going on.

It had been hard to speak to Gail when she first left, as Lucas was watching her like a hawk; however, with the guidance of her cousins strange dog Gideon, she was able to establish that the cabin Gail visited was still hidden and Lucas could not sense her there. This meant she could call her cousin without being disturbed and Lucas remained unaware of what she was doing.

Matt popped his head around the door and smiled at how peaceful she looked. 'I hate to interrupt your contemplation, but it's getting late and I need some help getting Caleb to bed' he smiled.

Merlyn got up from her comfortable position and signaled for Rocky to follow her indoors, Matt insisted on staying with them ever since Gail had gone; however, he had no control over Caleb and could never make him do what he needed to. She was still very fond of Matt but her cousin had warned her against acting on her feelings and Merlyn sensed there would be dire consequences if anything were to happen, so she remained pleasant and just acted like a 16 year old would.

When she entered the living room area, she rolled her eyes at Caleb playing on a video game. 'Come on Caleb, it's 10:30pm and you got school tomorrow' she said sternly.

'Just 5 more minutes, I wanna get to a good save point' Caleb said and did not take his eyes off the television.

'Whatever that means' she sighed and headed to the kitchen to get a drink.

Matt watched them both and shook his head, this was not an ideal situation but he was trying to do the best he could here. 'Now Caleb' he said calmly and took a step back when Caleb turned towards him with a strange glint in his eyes.

Caleb hit pause on his game and focused his attention on Matt, he was getting sick of being told what to do and felt a hostile sensation stir within him. He was about to let go and see what happened, when he heard a growl come from the side of the couch. He turned towards the sound to find Gideon hunched low and watching him with yellow eyes. He stared defiantly at the dog for a moment, then backed off when Gideon moved a few steps closer to him.

'Are you finished now?' Merlyn asked smugly, with a glass of water in her hand.

Caleb stared at Gideon, then faced the television and turned his game off. 'I'm goin', keep your knickers on' he said, getting up and taking the glass of water from his sisters hand.

Merlyn regarded Gideon suspiciously, then smiled as the dogs features softened and he curled up comfortably on the floor.

'Did you let that dog in?' Matt asked, trying to shake off his feeling of unease.

Merlyn shrugged and walked past Matt to get to the stairs. 'He's Gail's dog, I guess he's livin' here now'

* * *

Caleb woke up when he felt pressure on his ankles, then opened his eyes slightly to find Gideon asleep on his feet. Caleb rubbed his eyes and waited for his vision to become clear, before leaning down and stroking the dog carefully. He was a strange animal and more often than not he was hostile towards him; however, Gideon was Gail's dog and he reminded him of her.

Caleb missed his cousin dearly, he did not know what caused her to leave so suddenly; however, she had written to him a lot to reassure him that she just had some things she needed to take care of. He was aware that she had dropped everything initially to come to Trinity and take care of him, she had then chose to remain here with him and lost her job in Charleston because of that. He could not begrudge her a few months to sort through some things and he trusted that she would come back to him.

Gideon sensed he was awake, then jumped off the bed and stretched. Caleb smiled at the dog and got out of bed himself to find some suitable clothes for school, the last thing he wanted was Gail coming back to bad reports for him; therefore, he was trying his best to behave in school and get good grades. He did not want his cousin to have any reason to be mad at him, so he had also been helping out Abe at the antique store after school and seeing Lucas less than he did previously.

Caleb found that he missed spending time with his father; however, Lucas appeared to be in a constant bad mood and Caleb did not want to be around if he did something questionable. He liked Lucas and he knew he would never intentionally get him in trouble, but Caleb knew Gail would be disappointed if he got involved in anything bad and he did not want to run that risk.

Caleb heard his sister call his name and bent down to give Gideon another affectionate stroke, then rushed out of the room to get his breakfast and head to school.

* * *

Selena got out of the kingsize bed and stretched, then picked up a navy silk robe, wrapped it around her body and slowly walked out of the room. This was the first time in over a year that she had been in the Buck Mansion and it felt like being home. Lucas had called her late last night and she headed over here while Billy was working the night shift. She was fond of Billy; however, she could never refuse her true love and she was thankful that he had finally come to his senses with her nemesis being gone.

When she arrived she had expected to have a wild night of erotic sex like they used to and was hoping he would show her what he used to get up to with the lovely Miss Emory; however, he was not interested in entering her at all. She performed oral sex on him and that was all, she could feel no connection between them and it left her feeling cold and dirty.

Lucas had gotten out of bed 10 minutes earlier and just told her to leave, she was determined to rekindle their fire; therefore, she remained in bed naked waiting to seduce him. When he did not return she chose to get up and take the action to him, so here she was in what she believed was Gail's robe walking towards the bathroom.

She heard the sound of the shower and quietly opened the door, the thick steam hit her and caused her breath to become strained. She knew he liked things hot but the temperature of the water must be scolding to cause this much steam. She approached the shower and moved the shower curtain to one side, then opened the robe to show her naked body to him invitingly.

Lucas stood with his hands on the wall and his head under the scolding hot water, he was disappointed with himself for allowing his present company to come here; however, he wanted to be with someone and could not help himself. He had resisted the urge to touch or enter her, it did not feel right yet as a part of him still yearned for his love no matter how angry he was. Instead he had allowed her to take him in her mouth and pleasure herself, he did not get much pleasure out of it but he supposed it was better than another night angry and alone.

He turned his head when the curtain opened and saw Selena wearing Gail's favorite robe, the sight of it on another woman caused his rage to flare up and he could not push down his anger. 'What are you doin' in that Selena?' he asked as he stepped out of the shower, trying to hide his anger.

'I just grabbed the first old thing I could find and...'

'Is that so?' he interrupted and watched as she backed up when he walked towards her.

Selena caught the devilish look in his eyes and felt an alarm pierce through her brain. She had seen him like this before and knew she had somehow angered him. 'Lucas, what did I do?' she asked concerned and backed out of the bathroom.

Lucas continued to move forward until his body was on hers and she was pressed against the wooden rail above his lobby. He could sense the fear in her and it only fed his rage. 'Shush Darlin'...' he said stroking her cheek gently, '...You don't need to worry about a thing'

Selena had seen this before and did not know what to do. 'Lucas please, I...' she started.

Lucas disregarded her pleads, picked her up effortlessly and pushed her over the rail. Her screams echoed throughout the house and he stared down at her lifeless body when it hit the floor with a loud thud.

* * *

Gail sat on a bench not far from her Nashville apartment, admiring the calmness of the Cumberland River. She loved it here and was taken by the pleasantness this city had to offer, she had always wanted to settle down here in the home of country music and this place made her feel at ease.

After leaving Trinity and heading to Charleston, Gail decided she needed a change and this was as good a place as any to start over. She hoped she could bring Caleb and Merlyn here someday; however, for the time being she would have to settle with being here alone.

A message alert tone on her mobile telephone interrupted her chain of thought and she rummaged in her bag to find out the cause of the interruption. When she read the message she felt nauseous and instantly turned the phone off then placed it back into her bag. She inhaled deeply to calm her heart rate and felt her body begin to shake, she could not believe what she had just read and she could feel the darkness within her trying to rise. Her darkness had not shown itself since she left Trinity; however, news from Matt that Selena Coombs had taken a serious tumble in Lucas Buck's mansion had clearly shaken the hornets nest.

Gail picked up her bag and headed back towards her apartment, she needed to figure out what her next move was and she sensed her time in her paradise was over.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Matt stood at the bottom of Selena's hospital bed, reviewing her chart. He could not believe his bad luck when Selena had been brought in unconscious on his shift and when he found out she had taken a tumble at Lucas' mansion, he could not stop himself from messaging Gail on the number she left him in case of an emergency.

It had been four days since he had messaged his friend and making contact with her had upset him. He missed his friend dearly and it was not the same around here without her; however, he was happy that she had managed to escape Lucas' clutches and part of him wanted her to remain gone forever, to ensure he could never get his hands on her again.

Matt was a smart man and he was aware of the affect Lucas had on women, his present company only strengthened that argument. Gail had remained strong for a long time and rejected his advanced; however, he had accepted now that it had been inevitable Lucas would get his way with her and her shocking decision to leave had affected Lucas more than he wished to show.

Matt had been trying to steer clear of Lucas, knowing it would only take a small action to provoke a reaction from him. He had done like Gail asked and kept Caleb to his routine, in addition to keeping his distance emotionally from M. He knew his friend had his best interests at heart and ensuring Caleb's day to day tasks ran smoothly was a welcome distraction for his inappropriate feelings for the girl.

Selena stirred in the bed, then tried to sit up when she saw Matt stood by her feet.

'Lay down Selena' Matt ordered as he put the chart away, then walked to the side of the bed.

'Give it to me straight Doctor, how long am I going to be held here?' Selena asked impatiently. She could not believe the condition she was in and she did not like being out in the open here.

'You fell from a significant height Selena...Are ready to admit the truth about what really happened?' he asked.

Selena smiled and swallowed hard, Lucas had spys everywhere and she knew better than to rat him out. 'I was tired and not watching where I was going...I stupidly walked into the rail and fell over it. Anything else Matt?' she asked sweetly.

Matt stared at Selena in disbelief, her brave facade did not fool him and she could not hide how scared she was. 'Do you know what room this is?' he asked bluntly.

Selena glanced around the room and felt her heart drop. 'He didn't' she said in horror.

Matt laughed and shook his head. 'What? Get you housed in Judith Temple's hospital room?...You know there's been two people he was connected to commit suicide in here, I'm hoping there isn't going to be a third'

'Matt, you can't leave me in here' she pleaded and grabbed his arm when he went to leave.

'This wasn't my call Selena and if you don't tell me what really happened I can't help you' he said and took hold of her hand reassuringly.

Selena sighed and pulled her hand out of his, this was a warning from Lucas which she got loud and clear. 'There's nothing else to tell Doctor...you go on your way and I'll be right here recovering' she said and turned away from him, ignoring the coldness she felt all around her.

Matt rolled his eyes at her decision to remain silent and left the room, he hoped Billy would be by shortly to check in on her as he did not like her chances in that room alone.

* * *

Caleb sat outside Abe's antique store drinking a can of coca cola. With Miss Coombs being lay up in the hospital and no supply Teacher on hand, his class had been cancelled for the rest of the week; therefore, he was spending most of his time with Abe. It was sad what had happened to Miss Coombs but he was enjoying his time away from his lessons and liked it here with Abe, the old man felt like family.

Merlyn came out of the store and stretched, she had been stood behind the counter for over an hour and needed some air. She glanced at Caleb looking peaceful and smiled, 'It's nice to have you here with me...I miss you sometimes'

Caleb rolled his eyes in mock exasperation, then smiled back at his sister. 'I was always around Merly, you were just too busy with other people to notice'

'Well isn't this a nice family moment' Lucas said with bitter sarcasm as he approached the pair.

Merlyns smile faded and she stepped closer to her brother protectively. 'What's wrong Lucas? You pushed Gail away and now you wanna break us up?'

Lucas narrowed his eyes at the mention of his loves name and ignored the dark clouds that had suddenly started to form in the sky. 'You wanna watch your tone and accusations Merlyn Ann, everythin' was fine with us until you came along...Maybe that ol' cousin of yours got sick of being a carer for her dead cousin and it drove her outta town' he said through gritted teeth.

Caleb sensed the change in the atmosphere and placed his arm around his sister. 'You two stop it...Gail left cause she's got stuff to do, that's all!' he snapped.

Lucas could not hold in his laugh and regarded his son with mock pity. 'You need to open your eyes son, the only one that has never truly left you is me and I'll still be here when your sister gets bored of you and you realize your cousin ain't comin' back'

Merlyn took a step forward and ignored the loud thunder above her. 'You're just jealous and all alone Lucas...Gail didn't want you and now Caleb doesn't, so you're projectin' your anger towards me' she whispered.

Suddenly a large thunder bolt struck the ground to the right of Merlyn and she jumped, Lucas smiled eerily as he readied himself for the next bolt that was surely going to hit her.

'Stop it!' Caleb yelled and pushed himself between them.

Lucas' smile grew wider as he disregarded his sons order. He wanted to get rid of Merlyn Ann once and for all, Caleb may hate him for a while; however, he would come back around when he realized Lucas would be all he had left.

'Uncock that pistol boy, you don't wanna be comin' around here playin' these games' Abe ordered calmly, as he hobbled out of the store.

Lucas did not take his eyes off Merlyn and focused his rage towards her.

'Hey youngin'...' Abe yelled to Caleb, trying a different tactic. '...My Rosie is on the phone for ya'

Lucas stood down at the mention of Gail and the sky instantly cleared up. He shot Abe a warning look which indicated he had better be telling the truth, then pushed past all of them to enter the store. Lucas approached the counter and stared at the phone receiver that had been placed carefully on the side, he picked up the phone then held it to his ear and closed his eyes when he heard the calm breathing on the other end.

'Hello?' Gail asked in an agitated tone, she did not appreciate being made to wait when she had things to do.

A long moment of silence past, then Lucas exhaled deeply. 'Where are you?' he asked, forcing his tone to remain calm. He sensed her tense at the sound of his voice and he knew he had her full attention.

Gail moved the phone away from her ear and quickly looked around, as if Lucas was just going to appear next to her. When she was satisfied that she was alone, she took a deep breath to calm her heart rate. 'What did you do?' she asked, disregarding his question.

Lucas bit his lip hard in exasperation and took a deep breath. 'I'm not gonna ask you again love' he said in a threatening manner and waited patiently for her answer.

Gail could sense the anger in his tone and waited a moment to compose herself, he could not get to her here and she knew that this bothered him. 'It doesn't matter Lucas and I'm not scared of you, so you can cut the crap...Where's my cousin?' she asked, trying to remain strong.

Lucas laughed into the phone, then tore the wire out of the wall in anger. If she would not speak to him properly, she would not be speaking to anyone.

Abe walked into his store and approached his old friend. 'She called for the boy Lucas, that was outta line' he said disapprovingly, as he glanced at the ripped out telephone wire on the floor.

'We've been friends for a long time and you've been around me as long as I can remember' Lucas said, with his hands firmly on the counter trying to keep his cool.

'Yes we have' Abe nodded.

Lucas turned towards him and regarded his walking stick curiously. 'So you know when to keep outta my business...we don't want your health to deteriorate more than it already has now do we?' he warned.

Abe took a step back and narrowed his eyes at Lucas. 'You're gonna outwardly threaten me boy?' he asked in disbelief.

'Nah...I'm just remindin' you where your loyalties truly lie' he smiled devilishly and exited the store.

Caleb and Merlyn came in after Lucas left, then approached Abe. 'Is everythin' alright?' Merlyn asked, when she saw the angry look on Abe's face.

Abe nodded then hobbled towards the window and watched Lucas drive away. The boy had never outwardly threatened him, which meant he was not himself and this was worrying.

'Did my cousin really call?' Caleb asked, hoping to speak to Gail.

Abe turned towards the boy and forced a smile. 'She did but there was a problem with the phone...Don't you worry, I'm sure she'll find a way to reach you soon' he said reassuringly and signaled for Caleb to follow him to the back of the store, so they could play some chess.

* * *

Gail sat in her Mustang staring at the mobile telephone and threw it on the passenger seat in anger. She had been taken off guard by Lucas coming to the phone and could not believe he disconnected the call, that behavior was not aiding her in the choice she had to make and his actions only frustrated her.

She stared at the small drops of rain on her windscreen, then got out of the car and slammed the door closed in anger. She began pacing around the car in an attempt to calm her nerves and tried not to worry about her family. Gail glanced up at the sky and smiled as the drops of rain began to roll down her bare arms, the tickling sensation on her skin eased her tensions and she was thankful for the distraction.

When she had regained her composure fully, Gail turned towards the sign a few yards in front of her which indicated that she was entering Trinity. She suspected that Lucas would sense her as soon as she stepped across that line and all hell would break loose; therefore, if she was to continue forward she would need a plan. She glanced behind her to the peaceful deserted road she had been driving on and part of her just wanted to turn back. She knew leaving Trinity had been a big betrayal and it was clear from his actions that Lucas was finding it hard to control his anger.

As she pondered her next move, the heavens opened and the rain became torrential. She stood out in the open for a few moments in the downpour, then returned to the drivers side of the car. She turned on the engine and made a u-turn, this was too hard and she had no desire to be punished by her sociopath ex-boyfriend. She was about to put her foot on the pedal and speed away from this place, when she caught sight of something in her rearview mirror.

Gail got out of the car again and slowly walked towards the Trinity sign, ignoring the heavy rain which was soaking her. When she was about 10 yards away, she realized the dark figure was Gideon and smiled at her trusted guardian all wet out in the rain. She stared at him with sadness in here eyes for a moment, before heading back to her Mustang and putting on her seat belt. She took a deep breath then started to drive away slowly and had expected Gideon to disappear; however, he just stood in the distance watching her in the pouring rain.

Gail got a few meters down the road, then stopped the car and ran her fingers through her wet hair. She felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach; however, she spun the car around and drove back towards the Trinity sign, opening the door to allow Gideon to jump in on her way past.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Ben sat at the coffee shop opposite the Sheriffs Station, waiting for Merlyn to arrive. He had not had the heart to refuse her request to meet up; however, Rita was due to give birth to his baby soon and he could not afford to be dragged into any bad situation at this moment in time.

The past few months had been tense since Gail left, as Lucas had fallen back into his torturous ways. There was no questioning his actions and Ben had to go back to keeping his mouth shut if he wanted a safe life. Ben had so far managed to keep him and Rita out of any drama surrounding Caleb or Merlyn Temple; however, he had a bad feeling that he was going to be dragged into something awful.

'Do you really think I would endanger you and your family Ben?' Merlyn asked reading his mind.

Ben looked up at her and shook his head, he did not like this appearing act she sometimes did and he began to feel uneasy. 'Not intentionally, but sometimes things just happen' he said bitterly and signaled for her to sit down.

Merlyn rolled her eyes at the insinuation that bad things happen because of her and picked up the drinks menu. 'If you wanna blame anyone for your bad luck Ben, aim it at your boss' she advised and smiled sweetly at him.

Ben sighed and took a drink of his coffee, she knew full well he could not blame Lucas or the mans bad mood would be aimed at him. 'Enough of this, what do you want? I got stuff to do' he asked irritated.

Merlyn laughed and shook her head. 'So that's it? Gail's gone and now you wanna wash your hands of us?'

Ben realized how his question may have been interpreted and looked at her apologetically. 'Aww hell, I'm sorry...It's just Rita needs me and I don't have time to run around chasing whatever it is you want'

Merlyn sighed and stared down at her hands, all she had wanted was to talk to someone without having to put on a brave facade; however, it appeared she would even have to perform for Ben these days. 'It's alright, I was only comin' to check on how you are...' she lied, '...Why don't you just head on back to work and get on with whatever it is you have to do'

Ben smiled and downed the remainder of his coffee. 'If you're sure that was all this was, then I could do with gettin' back' he said, then got up and headed back to the Sheriff's Station.

Merlyn watched him go then put her elbow on the table and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. She was beginning to get frustrated with her situation and had no one she could turn to. Without her cousin Gail around, she was in charge of their family and the responsibility felt like it was suffocating her. It would be much easier if she allowed Lucas to step in and take Caleb for a few nights in the week; however, hell would have to freeze over before she offered that sort of arrangement.

Speaking of Lucas, she had not seen him since he had intruded at Abe's antique store and his car was not outside the Sheriff's Station. She wondered what he was up to and hoped his mood had calmed down.

* * *

Lucas casually walked down the hospital corridor, whistling to himself. He made small talk to people when required and put on his best smile for all the Nurses; however, he had finally lost control of his rage and did not give a damn. While his twin was completely off his leash, he had decided he knew the perfect victim to torment and headed towards Selena's hospital room.

When she was brought in, Lucas had insisted she stay in the hospital room both Judith and Angela took their own lives in. He did not intend Selena to have the same fate; however, he enjoyed the fear this put in her. Luckily for Selena, she was not his target for this evening and he smiled when he spied Billy Peele through the open door sat at her bedside.

'Well, isn't this predictable' Lucas said as he entered the room and the door closed on it's own.

Billy had been sat here while Selena slept, she had severely injured her back and he wanted to ensure she got plenty of rest. When he heard Lucas' voice anger flowed through him and he stood up to face the man. 'What the hell happened Buck? Why was she there?' he asked sternly.

Lucas smiled and paced the room, Ben had been keeping Billy away from him and he knew the man had a lot of questions for him. 'Oh I don't know Doc, I guess she was bored...Did you really think you could truly have one of my women?' he goaded.

Billy stared down at Selena's sleeping figure, then turned back towards Lucas. 'She wasn't bored and I know I have her Lucas, so why don't you just back the hell off?'

'That wouldn't be much fun now would it? You know what was fun though? Watching her take me in her mouth like old times...I can assure you that you were not on her mind at all that night Billy-boy' Lucas laughed.

Billy felt his rage rise within him and stormed towards Lucas, who was standing by the open window in the room. 'You're a complete ass, you know that? It's not my fault Gail left you so why would you try and steal Selena? Have you got nothing better to do with your time Buck?' he asked and smiled when he saw he had hit a nerve.

'Come on now Doc, there's no need to throw Gail's name about here. She left you too didn't she?...I guess it's been hard on you knowing she never cared about you and you were just a nobody to her' Lucas said and squared up to him.

Billy laughed and shook his head. 'I suppose it was hard on us both realizing she doesn't care about either of us...At least she calls me on occasion, do you ever hear from her Buck?'

Lucas grabbed Billy without thinking and pushed him out of the window, he held onto his shirt with his hands and smiled devilishly at the control he know had over the man. 'Now why did you have to go and admit somethin' like that? I was just beginning to get fond of you Billy-boy, it looks like this is where your time in Trinity ends' he said, loosening his grip on Billy's shirt.

'Stop!' Gail yelled as she entered the room and shot Selena an annoyed glance when she woke up startled in the bed.

Lucas turned towards her voice, laughed maliciously and turned his attention back to Billy who was hanging out of the window. 'Why Miss Emory, how nice of you to join us' he spat out bitterly.

Gail could sense he was not playing here and he truly wanted to drop Billy, so she had to play this thing smart. 'Lucas, look at me' she said calmly.

Lucas' smile grew wider as he pushed Billy further out of the window. 'I don't think so Darlin', I've got my hands full here...Unless you want me to lose my concentration and drop him that is'

Selena went to protest, then kept quiet when she saw Gail's look of warning. She did not know what she had just woken up to; however, she was scared.

Gail felt a cold rush of air brush over her arms and glanced around the room, there was no-one else but them here; however, she felt a strong sense of being watched by an unknown party. 'Lucas, stop this and just look at me' she pleaded as she walked forward and touched his arm gently.

Lucas could feel his rage intensify as her fingers trailed down his arm and pushed Billy further out of the window, one last push would cause the man to fall to his death. 'I didn't think you were stupid enough to come back here Darlin'...You're brave, I'll give you that'

Gail was becoming irritated and felt her darkness stirring within her. She could sense his rage and her darkness was ready to meet it if necessary; however, any hostile movement would only result in him releasing Billy and that was not an option in his current position. 'I'm not scared of you Lucas and this macho act isn't impressing anyone'

Lucas kept his eyes on Billy and laughed. 'You think I need to impress anyone Gail? It appears there's always someone willing to drop everything to satisfy me...Why don't you ask Miss Coombs over there and she'll tell you' he said hurtfully.

The comment hurt and it felt as though he had reached out then struck her across the face. She pushed down her resentment for Selena as she would deal with her at another time, it was obvious he was trying to hurt her and she needed to focus. 'Well I won't...' she said forcing a calm tone, '...And if you don't stop this nonsense I'll disappear again and you'll never find me'

'You think you'd make it outta my town again? You won't even make it out of this room' he threatened.

'Of course I will...' Gail answered smugly, then took hold of his hand and placed it on her stomach. '...You won't hurt me, you couldn't now'

Lucas finally looked over his shoulder at her when he felt her swollen stomach, then pulled Billy back into the room and discarded him on the floor. His attention was fully on Gail now and he stared at her like a coyote ready to strike it's prey.

When Billy was safe away from the window, Gail pushed Lucas' hand off her stomach and backed away slowly. Now that her friend was out of danger her mind was plagued with thoughts of him and Selena, which caused her darkness to rush to the surface. 'I understand that you have a ferocious appetite lover, but crawling back to your whore is beneath you' she said in a venomous tone.

Lucas laughed at the change in her and took a few steps closer, closing the gap she had made. 'I don't crawl love, she came to me'

'Oh please, that tramp doesn't have an original thought in her head. You called her and you told her you wanted her, that's the only plausible way this plays out' Gail said, trying to hide the anger and hurt from her tone.

Lucas sensed her darkness close to breaking free and his twin came rushing to him. 'I guess I required somethin' familiar and you know what? It felt good' he goaded.

Gail had gotten used to her darkness being buried for the past three months and had lost her previous hold on it. It burst out of her at his last hurtful comment and came down on Selena like a swarm of bees protecting there queen. She heard the woman's breath become horse and did not have to turn around to know Selena was clutching at her throat.

Lucas smiled and focused his minds eye on the attack, he witnessed a swarm of bees enter Selena's mouth and force their way down her throat. Gail openly relinquishing control of her darkness excited him and he took a step forward, then placed on hand on her hip and the other on her stomach. 'Don't you worry love, she wasn't as good as you' he whispered and his smile grew wider as her darkness became more prominent.

Gail stared deep into Lucas' eyes and could see he was enjoying this; however, she could not stop her need to punish someone and her darkness had taken her anger out on the easier target. Selena let out a small yell which confirmed the bees were starting to burrow through her, but Gail just continued to focus on Lucas.

'That's it Gail, let it all go...' he whispered as he stroked her stomach, '...This is who you are and what you need, just let it flow through you'

Gail inhaled deeply as she felt the familiar sensation between her legs, she spotted her past self stood behind Lucas smiling and knew this was how she was expected to be. She closed her eyes as Selena's screams became louder and allowed Lucas to pull her closer to him, he cupped her chin in his hands and she knew he wanted her to watch what was going to happen next.

Suddenly the temperature in the room dropped and Gail felt an icy hand on her back. She turned around and came face to face with her Aunt Judy, which brought her back to her senses and enabled her to pull her darkness back.

Lucas grabbed her arm and spun her around. 'We weren't finished yet Darlin'...Do you need me to assist you?' he whispered devilishly.

Gail felt the temperature begin to rise in the room and pulled her arm free, then backed away from him with a look of disgust. 'You want rid of your whore, you do it yourself...' she spat out bitterly then turned towards her friend, '...Get up Billy, let's get out of here'

Billy looked towards Selena who had stopped screaming and was holding her throat, then glanced at Gail. He got up as ordered and decided to follow his friend out of the room. He had heard what Lucas had said about Selena and decided he could not deal with the betray right now.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Caleb tossed and turned violently in his bed, he was dreaming about something chasing him and he could not outrun it. The faint whines of a dog pierced through his nightmare and it caused him to sit upright in the bed, when he opened his eyes and his vision focused he saw Gideon sat at his open bedroom door watching him.

Caleb had gotten used to this dog guarding him when he went to sleep and had became worried when he was nowhere to be found last night. He was happy to see Gideon had returned to him as he had gotten fond of the mutt and his presence put Caleb at ease. 'Mornin' boy, where have you been?' he asked, getting out of bed and approaching the dog to stroke him.

Gideon stared at him for a moment, then bolted out of the room and down the stairs before Caleb could reach him. Caleb watched in confusion as the dog fled, then a faint smell of bacon caught his nose. As Merlyn and Matt could not cook, he had been having cereal for breakfast every morning for the past three months; therefore, the smell of bacon caused a rumbled in his stomach and he headed downstairs to investigate it's sudden appearance in his home.

When Caleb walked into the kitchen sleepily, he took a sharp intake of breath when he saw Gail stood over the stove wearing a long pair of black pyjama bottoms and a loose maroon vest. 'Gail?' he asked, expecting this to be a trick his mind was playing on him.

Gail turned towards her cousin and smiled as he rubbed his eyes to confirm what he was seeing was true. 'Yes Caleb, I'm home...I've missed you' she said holding her arms open for a hug.

Caleb rushed towards her and squeezed her tight, then released her when she winced in pain. He stood a small step back and glanced down at her stomach, the loose vest was hiding her figure well; however, it was obvious when you got this close that her stomach had grown.

Gail bit her lip in annoyance with herself for not being able to disguise the sharp pain she felt at their quick embrace. She had not talked to Lucas properly and did not want to get into this with Caleb for a number of reasons, so she turned back towards the food on the stove and signaled for him to sit down. 'I hear you've been helping Abe at the store with your sister, that's really responsible of you Caleb...I'm proud of you' she glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him.

'It was nothin'...' Caleb shrugged and stared at her figure suspiciously, '...With you gone I wanted to make sure he was alright...I worry about him sometimes'

Gail started to dish out the food onto plates she had already arranged on the table and tried to keep her stomach hidden. 'Abe is a resilient old man, he'll probably out live us all' she laughed.

Caleb smiled at his cousins apparent good mood, she was acting as if this was just another normal day and he did not want to upset her; however, he had questions that he had been unable to ask over the telephone. 'Did I do somethin'?...I mean, was I too bad or did you just get bored of takin' care of me?' he asked and looked down at his hands.

Gail closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her guilt at leaving him was immense and she had hoped he would not have blamed himself for her decision. She threw some bacon towards Gideon who was laying on the floor in the corner of the room, then put the frying pan in the sink and pulled up a chair next to her cousin. 'I promise you that this had nothing to do with you' she whispered and stroked her fingers gently down his cheek.

'Was it Lucas?' he asked and looked into her eyes.

Gail held his gaze and knew he was trying to determine whether she would tell him the truth. 'Not completely...' she answered honestly, '...There's a lot going on that you're unaware of and I needed time alone to think'

'You coulda done that here, I wouldn't have bothered you' he shrugged, then looked down at his hands again.

Gail cupped his chin gently in her hand and raised his face to hers. 'I needed time out of this setting Caleb. I don't expect you to understand as you're so young but...'

'You needed time away from Lucas to figure stuff out' he finished her sentence and stared deep into her eyes.

Gail nodded, then caught a glimpse of something flicker in his eyes which made her feel uneasy. 'It's not his fault Caleb so don't go blaming him' she warned.

'Are you stayin'?' he asked, not taking his eyes off hers.

Gail had not thought about what she was going to do going forward, with what she had witnessed of Lucas' behavior the previous night she was just trying to survive in the present. 'I am' she said without thinking and felt her darkness stir within her.

'Good...' Caleb said then pulled free of her grasp and reached for a plate, '...Then I ain't got nothin' to blame him for have I?'

Gail regarded her cousin suspiciously as he began to fill his plate with eggs and bacon, she had witnessed something in his eyes that she did not care for and she would need to keep a close eye on him going forward.

* * *

Lucas sat in his Crown Victoria outside Judith Temple's sanctuary for children, with Ben in the front passenger seat. He had not gotten much sleep and felt agitated at his decision to leave Gail alone the previous night. He knew he should have sensed her as soon as she set foot in Trinity; however, everything had happened so fast and he had not been able to think clearly at the time.

Seeing her unexpectedly in the hospital room had thrown him off guard, especially when it was clear that she was pregnant. He had not seen that curve ball coming and he cursed himself for allowing his senses to slack around her previously. She had not left again, even after she witnessed what he was going to do to her friend and he believed this was a good thing. He was finding it hard to calm the voices in his head with his rage being so prominent for the past few months; however, he needed to start thinking clearly as it appeared her motives for leaving were not as straight forward as he had initially thought.

'What are we doin' here?' Ben asked, trying to break the silence. He hated this place and he did not know why Lucas would bring him here.

Lucas let out an exasperated sigh and stared at Judith's sanctuary. 'You always wanna find dirt on me Ben...this place was important to someone I cared for and I thought maybe you'd like to take a closer look around, while the previous stench that was botherin' you has faded away'

Before Ben had a chance to answer, his passenger side door opened and he stared in shock at the interruption.

'I know you're not stupid enough to fall for that trap Deputy' Gail said sweetly and stepped back to allow him space to get out of the car.

Ben stared in disbelief for a moment, then got out of the car to meet his friend. 'Well howdy Missy...' he smiled, '...When did you get back?'

'I'm surprised you hadn't heard...' she smiled, '...There was an incident at the hospital I had to take care of last night, I thought Billy would've called you'

Ben shook his head and laughed. 'He know's better than to call late, unless he wants to deal with the wrath of a heavily pregnant woman'

Gail spotted Merlyn come out of her Aunt Judy's old place of work and discreetly signaled for her to remain where she was. 'Well speaking of the wrath of a pregnant woman, you think you could do me a favor and watch these two while I do something?' she asked, glancing towards Caleb in her Mustang and Merlyn on the steps.

Ben glanced towards Lucas, who had not taken his eyes off Judith Temples old house and shook his head. 'I gotta work Gail...maybe later though' he said and got back into the car with Lucas. He sensed the tension radiating off the man and he was not about to put himself in the firing line.

'Oh but I insist' Gail said sternly, then grabbed his arm and pulled him gently out of the car.

'Gail I can't just...' Ben started, then saw the look of determination on her face. '...Well where are you gonna be?'

'Right here' she smiled reassuringly, as she got into the passenger side of the Crown Victoria and threw her car keys at him.

Ben went to protest, not wanting her to be alone with Lucas with the mood he was in; however, the car door closed on it's own and Lucas shot him a warning glance, so he took a few steps away from the car and watched worried as Lucas drove away with Gail.

Merlyn rushed down the steps towards Ben and grabbed his arm. 'What's Gail doing here and why the hell did you let her get in the car with him?' she snapped.

Ben let out a long sigh and turned towards Merlyn. 'You think I can control any of you?' he asked bitterly, then went to Caleb who was still sat in the blood red Mustang.

* * *

Billy sat patiently on the edge of Selena's bed, waiting for her to wake up. After she stood by him when Lucas arrested him, he had given her the benefit of the doubt and accepted her story that she had been in Lucas' house to look for something when the man was not there. Billy knew Selena could handle her alcohol and her version of events were far fetched, as he knew there was no way she would accidentally stumbled over the wooden rail; however, he had chosen to trust her and let it go.

After what he had been through the previous night, he now knew something else had gone on and he was pissed. He did not usually trust Lucas; however, the man had no reason to lie about this particular incident, especially when Gail was in the room and Selena had not denied anything Lucas had said.

Billy had sat with Gail for a few hours when they had left the hospital and talked about her pregnancy. If Gail was upset by Lucas' version of events she did not show it and she appeared to be trying to take his mind off it; however, he needed to hear the truth from Selena and he could not rest until he did.

Selena felt a presence close to her when she opened her eyes and turned towards Billy. She smiled when she saw him and reached for his hand; however, he pulled it away from her and stood up. 'Billy I...' she started as she sat upright, but was silenced by the look of anger on his face.

'I wanna hear you say it' he said and paced the room.

Selena watched him carefully, knowing exactly what he was referring to and tried to figure out the best play here. 'Say what Honey? I don't know what you want' she lied.

Billy laughed and walked towards the window he had been hanging out of the previous night. It would have been easier if Lucas had just dropped him as he would not have to deal with her betrayal; however, the man had allowed him to live and now he had to face this head on. 'Don't play me for a fool Selena, I'm not a stupid resident of this town that you picked up at a bar...Did you go to him?' he asked bitterly.

Selena stared at her boyfriend, afraid to say what he wanted her to. She should have known this would backfire onto her and she could see the seriousness in his eyes. 'Alright, yes I did' she answered honestly.

Billy inhaled deeply and felt a sharp pain in his chest. 'Why? Were we not happy together?'

'Were?' Selena asked, trying to change his focus.

'Answer me Selena!...' Billy demanded, '...Did you fuck him? Did it feel good throwing what we had away?'

Selena felt ashamed, she was not used to this type of feeling and she was at a loss for words. The truth is that she could not explain why she did what she did, it was Lucas and she always felt drawn to him no matter how bad he had treated her. She loved Billy, she truly believed that; however, Lucas was in her head and she could never truly refuse him.

'I'm waiting Selena' Billy said and regarded her angrily.

'It was Lucas, how could I not go?' she replied, deflated.

Billy inhaled deeply then sighed. It would always be Lucas, he knew that now. There was no changing her, god knows he had tried to give her a normal relationship; however, she would always be at his beckon call.

'I'm sorry Billy' she whispered, truly hurt by what she had done.

'Goodbye Selena' he said with no emotion, then exited the room as she began to cry.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Lucas drove down the long deserted rode with Gail in the passenger seat next to him, not a word had been said since he started the engine and drove away from her family. Gail shifted uncomfortably in the seat and this made him smile, he could sense her unease and he was feeding off of it. He was glad her confidence was fading the more distance he put between her and her family, he wanted to punish her for what she had done and her usual way of being would only provoke him to rush his torture.

Gail inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm her nerves, she sensed his anger towards everyone and the only way she knew to stop it was to face him away from people he could hurt. She had not thought this through properly and felt her resolve getting weaker the longer this ride continued. 'Where are we going?' she asked quietly, breaking the silence.

Lucas smiled at the trembling undertone of her voice and just focused on the road ahead. He was allowing his twin to guide him and did not know where they would end up; however, he began to feel excited with the uncertainty of it all. He spotted Johnson's Bridge up ahead and felt his foot push further down on the acceleration peddle.

Gail felt the increase in speed instantly and reached down to ensure her seat belt was still fastened, when she saw the bridge her friend Holly had driven her car off with Lucas in it. 'Is this your plan? If you can't have me no-one can, just like Holly?'

Lucas just laughed and continued placing pressure on the accelerator, it was daylight and the bridge had a few townspeople fishing on it. If he was to mow some of them down it would not bother him in the slightest at this moment in time.

'Slow down' Gail ordered, noticing the bridge was not deserted like the road they had been driving down for half an hour.

Lucas continued to apply pressure to the pedal, then released the steering wheel and lay back with his hand behind his head.

'God damn it Lucas slow down!' she yelled, then took off her seat belt so she could grab the steering wheel.

Lucas smiled as he sensed her panic and watched as the car entered the bridge. They were going 80 miles an hour and the people on the bridge stared at the car in horror; however, he did not care and continued to allow his twin to guide his actions.

When they came off the bridge, Gail spotted a lorry up ahead. They were closing the distance to the lorry quickly and she felt her darkness begin to rise within her. Lucas did not appear to be concerned with the inevitable collision they were heading towards and for the first time in a long time she felt genuine fear. 'Jesus Lucas, are you trying to cause me to lose our child again?' she yelled, then felt his arm come around her waist to hold her securely to him and the car came to a screeching halt.

Lucas inhaled her scent as she lay back into him, he nuzzled his nose into her neck and moved her hair gently behind her ear. 'Get off me Darlin'' he whispered, then got out of the car and walked into the trees when she moved back to her seat.

Gail took deep breaths to calm her heart rate and shook her head as she watched the lorry drive away into the distance. When Lucas got out of the car abruptly, she reached over and turned off the ignition before following him into the woods. She did not like his erratic behavior and his lack of communication with her was worrying, she sensed he wanted to hurt her and understood why; however, he was not just aiming that hatred at her and she would not be responsible for him hurting his townspeople.

Lucas walked for 10 minutes with Gail following behind him, then found a clearing in the trees and approached the river bank. This place seemed familiar to him and it was evident his twin had led them here for a reason; however, he was unsure of what it was and began to feel agitated.

Gail recognized this area instantly and walked past Lucas to the spot where her past self Rosemary and her unborn child had died. She was confused as to why he would bring her here and how he would even know of it's significance. Before she could stop herself she fell to her knees and stroked her stomach protectively, she dug deep into her self-conscious and willed her darkness to come out; however, all appeared quiet within her.

Lucas watched Gail carefully and felt his twin back off, his anger began to subside when he witnessed her stroke her stomach and wondered what this place was. Without thinking he took off his shirt and shoes, then walked towards her and pulled her up gently by her arm. She did not provide any resistance as he pulled her along and started to walk into the river. The water was cold; however, he did not feel it and he continued further into the river.

Gail kicked off her shoes and allowed herself to be led into the water, trying to ignore her strong feeling of unease. When the cold water touched her feet, she let out a nervous laugh and took hold of Lucas' arm for support. She did not like it here and did not know what he was planning but there was no turning away from this; therefore, she needed to see it through.

They continued to wade deeper into the river without talking. When he felt Gail pulling further behind him he took her in his arms and lifted her up, to enable them to push on further into the strong current. Gail placed her arms around his neck as he pushed deeper into the river and he held her tight, to provide reassurance that he would not allow her to be taken by the current. Lucas stopped when the water was just above his waist, then gently placed her down.

Gail inhaled deeply as the water came close the her chest and stared into Lucas' eyes. Lucas finally realized this was the place they had shared a vision of a few months earlier and stared down at her in silence. This place was important and he would not allow them to leave until they had hashed this out.

* * *

Caleb and Merlyn were dropped off home by Ben after Merlyn had showed her brother around her mothers old place of work. Caleb had been fascinated with the place and would have happily stayed longer; however, Merlyn was worried about Gail's return and was desperate to check in on her cousin.

When they entered the house Merlyn rushed into the living room area to see if Gail had returned and narrowed her eyes when she saw Matt sat on the couch with a cup of coffee. Caleb followed her into the living room and sat down on a chair opposite Matt, then reached for Rocky and gave him an affectionate stroke.

'Well that wasn't the welcome I was expecting' he said sarcastically to Merlyn and smiled when she rolled her eyes at him.

'I was hoping Gail was home, it's nothin' personal' she sighed and walked into the kitchen.

'Gail's been gone for months' Matt said and took a sip of his coffee.

'She ain't anymore' Caleb smiled and signaled Rocky to follow him to the back garden.

Matt sat for a moment pondering on the comment, then went to the kitchen to find M. 'What's he talking about?' he asked.

Merlyn laughed and shook her head. 'I guess I ain't the only one she kept in the dark...Gail's been back since last night. She was here when Caleb woke up, she must've sneaked in at some point without us knowin''

Matt had stayed at the boarding house last night after ensuring both Caleb and Merlyn were settled for the night, as Loris Holt was missing his company. He had no idea that Gail had returned and was worried that she had not contacted him. 'When did you last see her? Is she alright?'

Merlyn poured herself a glass of milk and sat down at the table. 'I saw her a few hours ago but didn't get a chance to talk to her...She had somethin' she needed to take care of, I'm sure she's fine' she lied, trying to ease Matt's worry.

'I suppose I best gather all my clothes ready for when she comes home' Matt smiled, then headed to Gail's bedroom to collect his things.

Merlyn forced a smile for Matt and prayed her cousin was OK.

* * *

Lucas stood tall in the water staring down at Gail, he watched as her body shivered in the cold and pushed down the urge to hold her. He was waiting patiently for her to start talking and the longer she kept quiet, the worse this would be for her.

Gail was freezing in the cold river but she refused to beg him to share his warmth. He appeared to be waiting for her to make a move, as she suspected he did not know what this place was. When the cold became unbearable, she sighed and shook her head. 'I had to go, you have to know it isn't safe here for me in this condition' she whispered through trembling teeth.

'I would've made it safe' he said with no emotion in his voice and continued to stare deep into her eyes.

'You couldn't last time so why would this be any different?' she asked, trying to take her mind off the position she was in.

'I was buried alive and the boy had no control...It was an unfortunate unexpected incident'

'Unfortunate?...' she laughed as her body shivered, '...It was an attack and I will not put myself in that position again'

Lucas inhaled deeply and shook his head, this conversation was boring him and she was clearly trying to distract him. 'What is this place?' he asked calmly.

Gail felt a dark presence close by and surveyed the area around them. 'Well this is a river and for some reason we're standing in it' she said sarcastically.

Lucas' hand shot up and gripped her throat tight, he was not in the mood for her backtalk and he was running out of patience. 'I won't ask you again Gail'

Gail felt the warmth from his hand on her throat and did not know which was worse, the harsh coldness of the water or the lack of air getting into her lungs. Suddenly she spotted a blonde figure out of the corner of her eye on the riverbank and panic began to set in. She knew deep down it was her past self's sister who had drowned her in a previous life and she felt an intense urge to get out of the water.

Lucas watched as Gail's demeanor changed and she began to struggle in his grip. 'Relax love, we don't wanna scare our little boy in there' he smiled wickedly.

Gail glanced towards the riverbank and saw the figure was starting to wade into the water towards them. 'Lucas, we've got to get out of the water!' she snapped through hoarse breathes and her heart sank when he just laughed at her.

Lucas could sense her fear and his rage was feeding off of it, he could not remember a time when she was this afraid and it felt good to have that type of control over her. Suddenly Lucas felt a presence coming towards them and instinctively released his twin, he glanced over his shoulder to see a blonde figure moving slowly towards them in the river and watched as his twin pulled the figure under the water effortlessly. 'See love, it's just you and me now' he smiled dominantly, as he turned his attention back towards Gail.

Gail sensed the power radiate off of him and her darkness began to stir within her, she thought she had pushed her feelings for him deep down; however, they began to resurface. 'You want to know what this is?...' she whispered in a hoarse breath, '...I'll show you'

Lucas regarded her suspiciously, then released the hand from her throat. He picked her up in his arms again, sensing her need to get her out of the water and carried her back to the riverbank. Part of him wanted to continue punishing her; however, he would happily prolong the torture with these little delay tactics of hers.

Gail let out a sigh of relief when he brought her back on land and placed her gently down. She instinctively picked up her bag which had previously fallen to the ground then began to walk away from the river and back into the wooded area with Lucas in close pursuit. The closer she got to her intended target, the safer she felt and her darkness began to flow freely through her body. When she reached her intended destination she smiled and bit her bottom lip.

Lucas kept his eyes fixed firmly on Gail, until she rushed around a tree and stopped in front of a large cabin. His jaw dropped open at the sight of this unexpected building and he began to wonder how something of this size could be hidden when it was so close to the river. He prided himself on knowing the location of everything in his town; however, this place was a mystery to him and it had a strange aura surrounding it which he did not like.

'Careful...you don't want to offend anyone' Gail whispered playfully and moved closer to her sanctuary. She had not realized how much she had missed this place and being here now made her feel giddy.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her sudden playfulness, a few moments ago he had his hand around her neck and now she could not stop smiling. 'I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation Miss Emory' he said sternly, not appreciating her sudden lack of fear.

'Oh I understand everything Sheriff, your anger, your hatred...but you're on my domain now' she smiled, then opened the cabin door and stepped inside.

Lucas walked to the door and went to follow her, but he felt a barrier holding him back. It suddenly hit him that this must be the spot where she used to hide from him and became intrigued about who owned this property.

'I already told you...' she said reading his mind, '...it appears you're not paying attention'

Lucas was becoming agitated at his inability to enter this place and he shook his head when she started to back away from the front door. 'You really wanna test me after all you've already done Darlin'? Don't you dare walk away from me' he warned.

Gail felt a surge of power flow through her and it felt exquisite, it amused her that Lucas appeared frozen at the door and she could see the anger starting to build within him. 'Lets not get off on the wrong foot here, I told you I'd show you and I am...Come on in Sheriff' she invited.

Lucas felt the barrier lift and he stepped into the cabin slowly, he was aware of a strong presence in this place; however, this was his town and he would not allow anything to remain hidden from him. Before he had the chance to let out his twin to seek out the unknown presence, Gail took his hand then led him out of the room and down a small corridor. He admired the simplicity of this place and glanced around curiously when she led him into a bedroom.

Gail let go of his hand then inhaled deeply and felt the presence of her past self. She sensed Lucas really wanted to hurt her and knew this was the only safe way out she had; therefore, she reached into her bag and placed the diary she had previously found here on a pillow at the head of the bed.

Lucas watched as she stepped away from the book he had previously seen her with and he approached it curiously. When she did not make an attempt to stop him, he reached for it and started to read the neat handwriting.

Gail ran her fingers over the wall slowly and waited for him to finish reading, she knew the mystery of the diary would distract him from his previous anger towards her; however, she was not happy that she had to give up her sanctuary. She stopped at the large window in the bedroom and glanced outside, it was starting to get dark and she had never been here when darkness fell.

Lucas placed the diary down after reading his name a few pages in, he somehow knew this was written by he woman in the painting he had discovered as a child and he did not need to read anymore at this time. He turned his attention towards Gail who was staring peacefully out of the window, she was radiant in the dusk and he felt his old animal urges rising within him.

Gail gave a little jump when she felt his hands grip her hips and he pulled her back into him, she had not expected him to put the book down so soon and began to worry that he had returned to his hateful way; however, his hard manhood pressing against her behind indicated this was something else and her desire for him suddenly took over. She took hold of his hands and wrapped them around her stomach, then turned her head up slowly and stroked her nose tenderly on his jaw.

Lucas inhaled her sweet scent and nipped at her nose playfully, her swollen stomach only made his desire for her more intense and he nuzzled his nose into her neck then started sucking it.

Gail let out a low moan and pushed one of his hands between her legs, she smiled when he pulled up her short dress and ran his fingers gently over her panties.

'You don't deserve this' he whispered in her ear, as he pulled down her panties and began to play with her sweet spot.

'You don't deserve us' she panted, playing to his strong feelings towards family and let out a shocked cry when he pushed her legs apart, then thrust his hard manhood deep within her.

Lucas let out a loud moan at the tightness of her and began to thrust slowly until she loosened up, then moved faster as his desire intensified. He wrapped a hand in her long brown her and pulled her head back, then bit her neck hard as he pounded in and out of her.

Gail quickly got over the soreness of his entry as the intense pleasure started flowing through her, she had missed this animal rawness and willed him to take her harder. As if sensing her wish he began pounding in and out of her harder, she gripped the wall tight and pushed herself further back to allow him to get deeper inside of her.

Lucas sensed their climax rising within them and they both called out as they came together. When he caught his breath, he pulled her carefully back onto the bed so she was sitting on him with his manhood still inside of her. 'The baby...' he started, suddenly concerned about their actions.

'Is fine' Gail interrupted and lay back into him.

Lucas placed a hand protectively around her stomach and stroked the other hand through her hair affectionately. 'The next time you go for a wander without my authorization I'll kill you without hesitation, you understand?' he whispered in her ear.

Gail stared towards the window at her past self looking in at them and nodded. She had escaped his punishment for now and had no doubt that she would not be as easily talked down in the future; however, she truly felt bound to him in an unnatural way and knew she was damned.

-The End-


End file.
